Magazine torpedo-cane.



No. 696,956." Patented Apr. s, |902..

i .1. H. Fox. MAGAZINE TORPEDO CANE.

(Application led A ug. 31, 1901.)

(H0 Model.)

Unrrnn @rares Farrar Ormes.

.IOIIN Il. FOX, OF FOSTORIA, OHIO.

MAGAZINE TORPEDO=CANE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,956, dated April 8, 1902.

Application tiled August 31, 1901. Serial No. 73,910. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. FOX, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fostoria, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Magazine Torpedo-Canes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a magazine torpedocane, and has for its object to produce a device of the kind provided with a magazine in which a number of torpedoes may be stored and from which they may be automatically fed singly into the firing-chamber and exploded therein; furthermore, to produce a rapid-firing device of the kind that will explode a torpedo on the stroke and automatic ally reload another on the lift to repeat the stroke. I attain these objects by constructing my invention as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the lower end of the same in longitudinal section, showing magazine and loadingI and firing inechan` ism in position at moment of firing. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the position of the several parts at the moment of reloading, and Fig. 4 is a top View of the firing mechanism. detached from the cane.

In the drawings, 1 designates the cane-body,

which is provided at the lower end with a ceu-` tral longitudinal bore 2, extending toward the top a sufficient distance to provide a maga-` zine of the desired capacity, and at the upper end of the bore 2 is provided a lateral bore 3, extending through the outer surface to thecentral bore to provide an opening for iilling the magazine. Bore 3 is provided with any suitable closure 4 to close it after the niagazne is filled.

Upon the lower end of the cane-bod y 1 there is mounted the loading and firing mechanism, which comprises the mortar 5 and the loading and firing plug G. The latter has formed therein a socket 7 to receive the lower end 8 of the cane-body, to which the plug 6 is permanently secured by any suitable means.

The mortar 5 is provided with a bore 0, which extends therein about one-half the length of the mortar, and the bore is of a diameter to telescopically receive the plug 6 and allow its free movement therein, and in the body of the breech 10 of the mortar there is provided the firing-chamber 11, forming an eccentric extension of bore 9. From the opposite side of the breech 10 there rises through the bore i) and olf its center a loading and guidiugstud 12, preferably integral with the breech.

Through the bottom 13 of plug 6 there is formed an aperture 14, adapted to receive the stud 12 when the plug is inserted in the bore of the mortar, and above the aperture 14 within the socket of the plug the end of the cane-body is cut away at one side to form a cavity 15 Within the plug for the stud 12, within which it is freely received when the plug (5 is telescopically inserted in the bore of the mortar. In this position the mortar is movably secured to the plug by a pin or screw 16, inserted through a vertical slot 17 in the Wall of plug G opposite cavity 15 and secured to the stud 12, the length of slot 17 being adapted to allow the required telescopic rn ovement of the plug within the mortar.

Projecting from the end of plug 6 in position to enter the firing-chamber 11 is a firingpin 18, which is of a length to strike the bottom of the firing-chamber when the bottom 13 of plug 6 has reached the bottom of bore 9, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the bottom`13 of the plug is adapted to close the top of the firing-chamber.

In the body of the stud 12, inline with the base of the magazine when the parts are in position for firing, as lshown in Fig. 2, there is provided a recess 19 of a size and depth to receive a single torpedo 20, the torpedoes being in the form of pellets of a size to freely but not loosely enter the bore of the magazine, and between the stud 12 and the bore of the magazine there is an open passage 21, kept closed by the stud excepting when the parts are in position shown in Fig. 2. `In that position the recess is brought into line with the passage 21, and the lowest torpedo in the magazine is forced by gravityinto the recess 19. The body of the cane being then lit`ted,the mortar remains stationary until the bottom 1 3 of plug 6 is moved upward above the recess 19 in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the torpedo in the recess is released and rolls to the bottomv of the firingchamber, thereby automatically loading the I o'o cane while bringing it to the position for a firing stroke.

It is manifestthat by striking the cane vertically downward on an unyieldingsubstance the torpedo in the firing-chamber will be exploded by the concussion of the firing-pin and another torpedo will be deposited in the recess of the stud, that in lifting the cane to repeat the stroke the torpedo in the recess will be automatically deposited in the firing-chamber in position to receive the next stroke, and that the cane may be thus rapidly loaded and fired until the magazine is emptied.

Through the wall of the firing-chamber of the mortal', adjacent to the point of ignition, is provided a vent 22 of suitable capacity for the free escape of the ygases of the exploded charge, and preferably above the vent is provided a hood 23, adapted to direct the force of the explosion downward. As appears in Fig. 2, at the moment of firing the top of the firing-chamber is closed by the bottom 13 of plug 6, and the magazine is separated from the firing-chamber by the firing-plug and the stud of the mortar, whereby communication of the explosion to the magazine is prevented.

Having thus fully described my invention and its operation, what I claim as new is- 1. A device for exploding torpedoes or the like comprising a mortar, and a tiring-plug mounted on the lower end of a cane-body or the like, having a magazine with a a lateral outlet in the plug, the said ring-plug being telescopically mounted in the mortar and freely movable as a plunger therein to and from contact with the bottom of the mortar, and the said parts coacting in their reciprocation to feed the torpedoes or the like singly from the outlet of the magazine into the mortar and explode them in succession.

2. A device for exploding torpedo-pellets comprising a mortar telescopically mounted on a firing-plug freely movable to and fro in the mortar to and from contact with the bottom of the mortar and having a top socket, and a cane-body or the like secured by its lower end in the socket of the plug and having a longitudinal bore adapted to form a magazine extending from the lower end upward to an inlet and provided with a lateral outlet within the plug kept closed by the mortar, the mortar being provided with a lateral recess adapted to be brought into alinement with the outlet of the magazine by the inward and to be uncovered by the plug in the outward movement of the plug in the mortar or of the mortar on the plug. Y

3. In a torpedo-cane, a cane-body provided with a magazine in the lower end, formed by a lcngitudinal bore extending upward to an inlet; a firing-plug permanently mounted on the lower end of the body, having an aperture in the base of the plug opening into a cavity in the plug; a lateral opening from the cavity into the base of the magazine, forming an outlet therefor; a mortar mounted on the plug and movable telescopically thereon between stops, and having a stud portion extended and movable in the aperture and cavity of the plug, and adapted to close the opening therefrom to the magazine; a firing-chamber in the breech of the mortar adapted to be closed at the top by the plug; a firing-pin projecting from the end of the plug into the iring-chamber; a vent in the wall of the firingchamber; and a lateral recess in the side of the stud within the mortar adapted to be brought into alinementwith the outlet of the magazine by the inward and to be uncovered by the plug in the outward movement of the-8g plug in the mortar or of the .mortar on the plug.

4. In a torpedo-cane the combination with a cane-body having a central longitudinal bore extending from the lower end toward the top and provided with a side opening having a closure, adapted to form a magazine for the storage of torpedoes, of a firing-'plug having a socket at the top adapting the plug to be permanently mounted onthe lo'wer end of the cane-body, and provided with an aperture on one side through the bottom of the plug into the socket,and with a projecting firing-pin on the other; ay cavity within the socket of the plug formed by a side cut in the end of the cane-body; an opening from the base of the bore of the magazine into the cavity; a mortar mounted on the plug and movable telescopically thereon and having a stud extended and movable in the aperture and cavity of the plug, and adapted to close the opening from the cavity into the magazine; a vertical slot in the wall of the plug-socket opposite the cavity; a pin secured to the stud and projecting through the slot, adapted to movably secure themortar to the plug and limit their telescopic movement; a firing-chamber in the breech of the mortar, adapted to be closed at the top by the plug; a vent in the wall of the firing-chamber; a firing-pin projecting from the bottom of the plug into the firing-chamber adapted to touch the bottom of the chamber at the limit of its inward movement therein; and a recess in the side of the stud adapted to be brought into coincidence with the opening to the magazine by pushing the plug into the mortar and into coincidence with the firing-chamber by with drawing it, substantially as shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of August, 1901.

` JOHN H. FOX.

Witnesses:

F. S. MACOMBER, PHILIP PETER.

IOO

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